Guided walks & animal tracking are among the safari activities offered in the wild Selous Reserve.

Big tuskers' are among the wildlife highlights at the Selous Game Reserve.

overview

Your 14-day fly-in adventure encompasses the phenomenal wildlife reserves of Kenya and Tanzania, where you are able to experience thrilling Big 5 adventures and the Great Migration while staying in comfort at a selection of luxurious safari lodges.

The journey begins at Nairobi Tented Camp, where you receive your first taste of the wildlife adventure that awaits you before you wing your way to Porini Lion Camp in a private concession bordering the fabled Masai Mara. Experience thrilling Big 5 wildlife encounters as you traverse the Olare Motorogi Conservancy and the Masai Mara on game drives and safari walks. Next, you travel south to the magnificent plains of the Serengeti in Tanzania, where from the comfort of Olakira Camp you set off to see the teeming herds of the Great Migration in season as well as a host of other species. You then continue the adventure at Lake Manyara and Lemala Ngorongoro, where the incredible spectacle of the Ngorongoro Crater will leave you spellbound. After a night’s rest at Arusha Coffee Lodge, you then fly into Sand Rivers Lodge in the Selous Game Reserve, where you explore this incredibly diverse, untrammelled wilderness by boat, game drive vehicle and on foot.

Perfect as an adventure for wildlife enthusiasts, serious safari-goers or newcomers alike, this journey promises the best that Kenya and Tanzania has to offer with an amazing selection of iconic reserves for you to experience in all their glory.

Itinerary Highlights

Witness the Great Migration in season

Excellent Big 5 game viewing

Day & night game drives

Guided safari walks & boat cruises

Luxurious selection of lodges

Day to Day Itinerary

Day 1

A warm welcome to Kenya

On arrival at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, you will be met and driven to Nairobi Tented Camp. Ten minutes after leaving the airport, your game drive begins as you enter Nairobi National Park. This unique reserve has the distinction of being a stone’s throw from a bustling metropolis, yet populated by a great variety of big game. On your way to the camp, you have the opportunity to spot giraffes, buffalo and lions lurking in the shade, as well as having the unique opportunity to photograph African plains game with the skyscrapers of Nairobi in the background!

Days 2-4

Olare Motorogi

After a delicious breakfast, you are transferred to Nairobi’s Wilson Airport for your flight to the Masai Mara.

Your guide meets you at the airstrip and takes you for a game drive through the Olare Motorogi Conservancy, a private concession bordering the Masai Mara, and soon you arrive at Porini Lion Camp. Set in a grove of trees along the seasonal Ntiakatiak River, this eco-friendly lodge is designed to blend into its surroundings and create a minimal impact on the environment, without compromising on comfort of luxury.

This region is famed for its predators, as well as being the scene of one the greatest wildlife spectacles on earth: the Great Migration. Between July and October, in excess of a million wildebeest, zebra and gazelles gather on the plains of the Mara, having braved treacherous river crossings teeming with enormous crocodiles and a host of hungry predators that pursue them. They arrive en masse during this period to take advantage of the bounty of new grazing that the rains have stimulated in the preceding weeks, creating a scene of such wonder that few are left unmoved by the sight of rolling plains swarming with animals. Outside of the migration period, a host of resident wildlife remain to be seen, including the Big 5, among many others.

Your guide unlocks the secrets of this fascinating world with you, how the interconnecting web of life fits together, who depends on whom, and where the animals are to be found. Under the spell of the endless plains, you watch the herds on the move; find the lurking predators, wonder at the silent passage of a multitude of elephants…

The conservancy is blessed with open savannah plains, riverine forests, springs, streams and rivers, rolling hills and spectacular views over the adjacent Mara. This stunning scenery forms the backdrop for encounters with the resident game that includes leopards and large lion prides. The Migration season creates a time of plenty for these predators, and the promise of sudden, thrilling action is never far away!

You may also join the Masai warriors for a nature walk, accompanied by your guide. Striding out across the plains is not only wonderful exercise but it is also delightfully informative and educational. Your guide will point out things you would not normally notice from a vehicle: the tracks and signs of the wilderness that make the experience all the more fascinating. You learn how to identify footprints, discover the secret world within a termite mound, and of which plants are used as medicine for various ailments, and which can be used to extract moisture or nourishment. Added to this is the excitement of tracking wildlife on foot, and encountering a giraffe or herd of elephants is the best way to appreciate their size and grandeur in comparison to the human form.

Days 5-7

Into the Serengeti

After a final morning game drive or safari walk in the conservancy, you enjoy brunch before departing for the airstrip. You take a short flight across the Mara to make the border crossing into Tanzania, and then board another flight into the Serengeti.

Your guide meets you at the airstrip and takes you on a short game drive to Olakira Camp. Designed to be packed up and moved to where the herds of the Migration are to be found, Olakira is eco-friendly and intimate, yet also beautifully designed with no concession to comfort spared.

During July to November, it is located on the Mara River, a blissfully scenic spot just a stones throw from one of the major crossings. From December to March, it is on the southern plains of Ndutu, where the multitudes of animals arrive to graze on the nutritious short grasses and give birth to their young. Regardless of the location, you are guaranteed a premier wildlife experience in extraordinary surroundings, and an experienced and knowledgeable guide will lead your safaris.

You discover your large canvas suite, which is elegantly decorated in a style harkening back to the early days of safaris. A 4-poster bed is elegantly draped in mosquito netting, and a small lounge area leads to the adjacent en suite bathroom, which has a flush toilet, basins and a safari bucket shower. Outside, your private verandah boasts a stunning view of the river or the open plains.

Allow the tremendous energy and magic of the Serengeti to encompass you. Each morning and afternoon you set off in search of the herds and their attendant predators; caught in the drama that has captured the imagination of travellers to this region since the days of exploration and adventure began. With sweeping landscapes providing an incredible backdrop to your wildlife encounters, you too will soon be under the spell of the magical Serengeti. Whether you choose to spend the entire day out on the plains, stopping below a lone acacia for a delicious picnic lunch, or taking lazy afternoons relaxing at Olakira Camp during the warmth of the day, your guide and the camp staff will ensure that your experience is a memorable one.

Days 8-9

Lake Manyara & Ngorongoro Crater

Bidding Serengeti Safari Camp farewell in the morning, you set off for the airstrip where your charter flight awaits to wing you to Manyara.

Your guide meets you at Manyara airstrip, and you set off into Lake Manyara National Park for a game drive. This small but important park is incredibly diverse in habitat, giving a home to a great variety of species - famous for its tree-climbing lions; with herds of buffalo, wildebeest and zebra that congregate on the grassy plains, while the forests are home to impressively tusked elephants. The birdlife on the lake is spectacularly prolific and sometimes huge flocks of flamingos turn the shores pink with their plumage.

You drive through huge stands of fig, mahogany and acacia trees where monkeys shriek and chatter above; drift out into the open plains, where the lake shimmers blue in the heat haze. Elephants moving toward the water take on a dreamlike quality as they shift in and out of focus in the distance. Moving closer, you watch as they plunge into the water to drink and bathe. Their sense of enjoyment is almost palpable as they splash water over their huge bodies, slurp up great trunkfuls to drink, and the youngsters cavort playfully in the shallows.

As the afternoon wears on, you ascend the towering escarpment to and proceed to the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater, where Lemala Ngorongoro sits deep in a forest of ancient acacia trees.

The Ngorongoro Crater ranks as one of the most spectacular wildlife destinations on earth. This long-extinct volcano is the world’s largest intact caldera and its walls contain an incredible array of habitats, which in turn support an astonishing population of game. With springs and streams to support their water needs, the animals need never leave the crater, and the natural barricades of its walls have protected a population of elephants with enormous tusks and black-maned lions, among others.

With a density of game rarely seen elsewhere, combined with breathtaking scenery, the magic of Ngorongoro will begin to work on your senses. One of the few places in Africa where the Big 5 can be seen in one game drive, there is also so much more to absorb. Herds of gazelle, wildebeest and zebra are resident here, while smaller predators like caracal and serval are also seen, along with the spotted hyena. The Lerai forest and the marshes below it are the domain of enormous tuskers, where sightings of these beautiful animals are enhanced by spectacular scenery as a backdrop.

Day 10

Arusha Coffee Lodge

After a relaxing morning and a delicious breakfast on the terrace, you bid Lemala Ngorongoro farewell and head back to the airstrip for your flight to Arusha.

You arrive in this vibrant and bustling town at midday and a driver collects you to take you to Arusha Coffee Lodge. Set in a vast coffee plantation on the gentle slopes of Mount Meru, the lodge is a haven of tranquillity and relaxation. The original 1900’s plantation house forms the central building housing the lounge, restaurant and bar with a secluded pool area off to one side. Continuing the plantation house motif, a series of guest cottages are dotted around the property within the tropical gardens.

You enjoy a delightful lunch on the terrace, and then the afternoon is yours to enjoy, whether you wish to explore the bustle of Arusha and its colourful markets, take a tour of the coffee plantations or simply relax in the beautifully tranquil gardens or at the poolside. A gourmet dinner in the dining room in the evening rounds off a wonderfully leisurely day, and prepares you for the adventures that lie ahead.

Days 11-13

Into the Selous

Departing the Arusha Coffee Lodge after breakfast, you head to the airport for your flight south to the Selous Game Reserve.

Landing in the mid afternoon, your guide meets you at the airstrip and takes you for a game drive to Sand Rivers Lodge. Set along a curve in the magnificent Rufiji River, the lodge boasts one of the most scenic locations in the reserve. Beautifully designed and constructed from stone, wood, canvas and thatch, the buildings all but disappear into the dense riverine forest crowding the water’s edge. Your stone and thatch cottage is expansive, inviting and cool, and the open-fronted design maximises the tremendous views of the river from your private verandah.

Once you have settled in it is time for high tea in the lounge and your afternoon’s game drive. The Selous is one of the world’s largest faunal reserves that encompasses a staggering array of wildlife in a huge variety of habitats. From grassland savannah to floodplains and miombo woodland, the landscapes you traverse are breathtakingly scenic, and always contain varied species of plants, birds and animals.

With your expert guide to introduce you to the many wonders of this reserve, you encounter a multitude of plains game, herds of elephants feeding in the woodlands or marching across vast floodplains to the river, lion prides dozing in the shade, and stand the chance of a thrilling encounter with a pack of African wild dogs.

Each moment brings the opportunity of a new experience, and spontaneity is one of Sand River Lodge’s keystones. Being allowed to leave the vehicle and walk up to a herd of elephant undetected, or to simply see what lies around the next bend in the river is a freedom that exposes you to the magic of the Selous.

You allow the rhythms of nature to dictate the passage of your days at Sand Rivers Lodge. With the options of walking safaris, game drives, boat trips and fishing excursions on the river, you are guaranteed to experience the fullness of this incredible region at your own pace.

Being able to drift quietly with the current of the Rufiji as only the sounds of the birds and the gurgling of the water reach your ears; silently approaching a herd of elephants as they crowd the bank to drink and bathe, gliding past pods of hippos, and searching for crowned eagles as they hunt monkeys in Stigler’s Gorge.

You pull up to a sandbank for a picnic and a swim, and then set off on foot along the game trails snaking away from the waters edge. Walking through this wilderness with an experienced and knowledgeable guide opens up so much more of nature’s secrets, and being at one with the bush, on foot without the noise or barrier of being in a vehicle makes the experience an entirely holistic one. You will find your senses engaged more fully, sharpened to your surroundings, putting you completely in the exhilaration of the moment.

Day 14

Adieu Africa

You enjoy a lazy morning and a leisurely breakfast before it is time to depart. Your guide takes you for one last drive to the airstrip, where your aircraft waits to fly you back to Dar es Salaam, where your journey comes to an end. After takeoff, you gaze down at the vast, untrammelled wilderness below, the land where you have experienced so many adventures in such a short time, and you promise yourself that one day you will return.

Inclusions

1 Night at Nairobi Tented Camp on full board basis

1 Night at Arusha Coffee Lodge on half board basis

Hot air balloon safari

Transfers as specified in the itinerary

Scheduled flights as specified in the itinerary

Kenyan park and conservancy fees

Tanzanian park entrance fees

Tanzanian evacuation cover

3 Nights at Porini Lion Camp on full board basis

3 Nights at Olakira Mobile Camp on full board basis

2 Nights at Lemala Ngorongoro on full board basis

3 Nights at Sand Rivers Selous on full board basis

Exclusions

International flights

Airport taxes

All meals and drinks not specified

Tips and gratuities

Items of a personal nature

Additional Tour Notes

This tour does not operate from 16 March until 31 May and 16 November until 30 November 2016 due to camp closures.

This tour does not operate from 16 March 2017 until 31 May 2017 due to camp closures

Tour Rates

display rates in

datesrates from

01 Sep 2017 -
31 Oct 2017 $15610 £11490 R205765 €13065

01 Nov 2017 -
31 Dec 2017 $12940 £9525 R170570 €10830

Our rates are per person sharing unless we note differently.

Please treat all pricing as a guide only:

All rates are subject to availability and may change without notice

Single supplements may apply

Request a quote or speak to one of our African Safari Experts for the best, most current rates available.

Maureen Stover

Africa Safari Expert

"If you are looking to stay at some of the smaller, more exclusive & personalized East Africa tented camps located away from the crowds, then this safari if for you.. Africa's wildest and least known reserve, Selous Game Reserve, is the perfect end to this real authentic safari experience!"